Call Me Anything You Want
by Walden.Pond313
Summary: Sequel to Live Without Shame. Basically season 2 if Blaine and Kurt never got together.
1. Blame It On The Alcohol

**Episode: Blame It on the Alcohol**

"Hey, Kurt, you leaving?" Finn asked with some trepidation. The number of party goers was quickly dwindling and it would suck to be the only sober dude left. Puck, surprisingly, had been the first to leave, dragging a disgruntled Lauren Zizes with him. Artie's parents had arrived next, not surprised to find their son heavily intoxicated. Mercedes and Quinn, in a moment of camaraderie that was rare these days, decided to walk home together.

Of the remaining teens, no one seemed to be anything less than ridiculous. Santana was knocked out cold in the middle of the floor. Brittany, Mike and Tina had formed a line and created their own version of soul train. Sam and Blaine were on stage performing a scene from the Lord of the Rings. Finn couldn't really remember _which _movie the scene was from, but he clearly heard Sam refer to himself as Tree Beard and Blaine as Pippin.

Rachel had disappeared earlier with the promise of chips. But that had been, like, an hour ago…

Kurt was on the top step leading to the main level. The party had stopped being fun for him a while ago, but he had a back-up plan. "No," he answered, allaying his step-brother's fear. "A friend of mine said he'd stop by. I'm just going to go wait for him."

"Okay, cool." Finn eyed the group of dancing gleeks warily. "Just hurry back. I don't want to get roped into anything."

"Kurt, Buddy," Sam called from the stage. "Wait up. We'll go with you."

"We?" Kurt asked, one eyebrow imperiously raised.

"Yeah," Sam panted, running to join him on the stairs. He placed his arm around Kurt's shoulder. "Blaine's gonna stay at my house. I mean, it's way too late to drive back to Westchester."

As the two boys galloped passed him, Kurt was a little confused. Hadn't Sam… "Hey, didn't you bring Santana?" When his question went unanswered, Kurt decided to worry about it later.

The night was cool, but the Ohio winter was finally starting to crawl back to whatever level of hell it came from. From Rachel's front porch, Kurt could just make out the forms of Sam and Blaine dancing down the sidewalk. Kurt couldn't help feeling relieved. If not for Sam, he would've been the one taking Blaine home. Although Kurt was no longer pining after the Warbler, there was the tiniest…_pang_ when Blaine and Rachel kissed. But it was just an alcohol fuelled tryst, hopefully, to be forgotten.

Kurt was pulled from his musings by the sharp squeal of a car. 'Brake pads need to be replaced.' Kurt thought absently. He turned to see Sebastian unfold his long frame from a silver Dodge Charger. So this was Sebastian's car? Kurt took a cursory glance. A two door model with custom tires that had minimal wear: flashy enough to drive from party to party but not an everyday vehicle. Which would explain the brake pads. Sebastian probably was a little heavy on the brake pedal but didn't use the car enough to consider getting it checked out.

Kurt approved of the actual car (not the driving.) It was suitable for the other boy, but he had the niggling feeling that it should be red.

"This better be some party." The taller boy grumbled in lieu of a greeting. "I just paid nearly 60 dollars in gas to get here."

Kurt felt the heat of a blush flood his cheeks. "Actually, the party is pretty much over." Not wanting to disappoint his friend with a wasted trip, he added "but, you're welcome to come back to my place. We can watch some movies or play scrabble."

"You'd let me come over?" Sebastian smirked. "That's very forward of you, Hummel."

"Calm down. If you try anything, you're sleeping outside. Anyway," Kurt added, walking outside to meet the other boy, "It only seems fair. I've seen your place. Now you get to see mine."

"Alright." Sebastian agreed simply. He looked around the street for Kurt's monstrous Navigator before offering the boy his arm, like any gentleman would. He escorted the other teen his car. When Kurt was seated comfortably, Sebastian leaned over the window, smirking. "Fair warning: I totally kick ass at Scrabble."

* * *

Fortunately for Kurt, there had been no ultimate Scrabble tournament.

They arrived at the Hummel abode with little fanfare. Sebastian was surprised to find a relatively average looking home. It was big, but no larger than any of the other houses on the street. As soon as they stepped through the door, Kurt had grabbed his hand and led the way to his room. It was decorated in shades of red and gold, giving it a warm atmosphere. It was tasteful without being impersonal.

Sebastian intended to make these comments out loud, only to find his host stripped down to his underclothes and asleep. Well, he'd have to save his observations for another time. He toed of his shoes and pants, heaping them near the window. He added his gray cashmere sweater (specially chosen for the night) to the pile on the floor.

He carefully climbed into bed in nothing but his black boxer briefs. He pulled the red duvet over himself and Kurt and promptly joined his friend in sleep.

* * *

As Burt Hummel entered his kitchen, the sight that greeted him was an unexpected one. Finn was at the table, absent mindedly eating cereal. Carole, surrounded by an assortment of food, was packing four very different lunches. That was typical for a morning where Kurt decided to sleep at home instead of in the Dalton dorms. However, what was missing for the equation was Kurt himself. The boy was normally wielding his magic over the temperamental coffee maker. The damn thing only seemed to work when his son was here. The clock over the oven read 7:30. Kurt usually left the house by 7:45 in order to make the hour long commute to Dalton.

"Did Kurt leave for school already?" Burt asked the room in general. Carole made some sort of head movement that Burt couldn't possibly be expected to understand.

Finn perked up a little, tilting his head in the direction of Burt's voice. "His car's still out front. I guess he's still asleep."

Still asleep? Early bird Kurt was still asleep? That didn't sound like his kid. "How late did you kids stay out?"

"Not too late. Besides, Kurt came home way before me." Finn muttered, resenting the fact that he'd had to drive a bunch of drunken glee members home by himself.

"I'll go up and check on him." Burt hoped the kid wasn't running too late. Kurt was so serious about punctuality, the elder Hummel didn't want to be around on the day Kurt was late…

When he knocked on his son's door, there was no reply. Nothing. Not even a shuffling from the other side to show some signs of life. Burt didn't take that as a good sign.

"Kurt, if you're in there, I'm coming in." He called as a warning before slowly opening the door.

If he'd thought the scene in the kitchen was unusual, the sight that assaulted him now was so inconceivable…not even a showdown of it had crossed the furthest reaches of his mind.

Kurt, his son, was resting his head on the chest of another boy. A man, really, if the stubble on his face was anything to go by. The blankets had slipped down enough to show a possessive arm wrapped around his son's waist.

This was all happening a little fast for Burt Hummel. Since when did his son have a boyfriend? And what the hell happened to that Anderson kid?

"Kurt?" Burt croaked.

His son raised his head. "Dad?" With his back to the door, he had to shift his body in order to get a good look at his father.

"Kurt." The young man laying with his son groaned. "Please tell me we are not waking up at some ungodly hour."

"Sebastian?" Oh. Shit. Kurt sat upright, causing his friend to groan again. But he couldn't bring himself to care about the other boy's comfort at the moment. The only thing that mattered was the myriad of emotions crossing his father's face. "Dad, this isn't what it looks like."

* * *

"_You've reached the voicemail of Kurt Hummel. If whatever you have to say is too important for a text, leave a message after the beep and I'll get back to you as soon as possible."_

_~Beep~_

"Hey, Kurt. It's Blaine…although you probably already know that with the caller i.d. and everything. I'm sorry we fought, but I'm standing by what I said earlier. I have to ask though, was it really my thing with Rachel that was bothering you? You seemed kind of distracted. I know we have our disagreements, but if you need to talk…"

* * *

"Hope I didn't get you into too much trouble." Sebastian called from his closet. It was official: his days of living independently were over. He'd commissioned Kurt to come out to his parent's house to smooth the transition. "That was probably the worst round of 'Meet the Parents' I've ever been involved in."

"Oh no, it's no big deal." Kurt said, folding a pair of gray socks. Sebastian's idea of packing had been to throw everything in a box and hope for the best. "I just received this heteronormative lecture from my father about sleepovers. It's so hypocritical. If he'd discovered Finn with Rachel or Quinn or…whoever, my dad would've given him a pat on the back. But I get a slap on the wrist for having a friend, who happens to be a guy, spend the night." Kurt scoffed. He added the socks the pile a neatly folded clothes surrounding him. With a frustrated sigh, he crossed the room and plopped down on Sebastian's bare mattress. " And, God, we weren't even doing anything."

"To be fair, doll, we did make a fairly provocative picture."

Kurt glared at his friend's back. "Yeah, because you couldn't be bothered to keep your damn clothes on, Smythe."

"Oh please," The other boy smirked, turning to face Kurt. "Who'd want to contain all this." Sebastian ran his hand suggestively over what Kurt knew were the lean, well defined muscles of his stomach and chest. Just because they were covered by a ridiculous polo shirt didn't make them any less appealing.

"What? Your terrible taste in clothes? We are seriously going to have to work on that before you go gallivanting off to Paris."

"Hummel, you don't have to deflect. I saw you checking me out the other morning."

"Impossible. I was too busy _throwing_ you out."

"Kurt, it's completely normal to find yourself attracted to me." Sebastian assured, crossing the room. "Don't fight it." He dragged Kurt off of the bed and to his feet.

They were almost eye to eye. Sebastian was just tall enough to be _that_ much more attractive. Staring into hazel eyes, Kurt all but forgot what they were bickering about. Is this how he felt the first time he'd looked at Finn? Or Sam? Or Blaine? No. He couldn't remember feeling the same fluttering in his stomach or the pressure on his chest. And the sensation of freefalling was so distinct and terrifying, It had to be new. It was only made worse by the fact that Sebastian was staring just as intently back.

"You know," Sebastian murmured, following the curve of Kurt's cheek with a long finger. "There is a good reason I call you doll face." Whatever the reason was seemed to be forgotten as his finger traced along the blush that had appeared. It was a rose colored arrow aimed at a plush pink mouth.

Later, Kurt would be embarrassed at how fast his heart was racing. He would berate himself over the gasp that escaped his mouth. Later. Now, he was too focused on the finger skimming his bottom lip.

Sebastian had no clue what he was doing. It was a complete out of body experience. He watched himself drag a finger along the softness of Kurt's lip. He watched as the tip of a pink tongue poked out, barely touching him.

"Maybe, if I just…" Sebastian leaned closer, letting instinct take over.

"Sebastian, sweetie, are you home?"

A women came in and Kurt couldn't imagine her being anyone but Sebastian's mother. She had the same chestnut brown hair, styled sleekly to complement her lean face. Her eyes were a bit greener than her son's, but they held the same intelligence. The only major difference Kurt noticed was that she had a small, embarrassed smile on her face instead a Sebastian's trademark smirk.

"Oh my. I'm so sorry. I didn't realize you had a guest over." Her voice was sincere, and held no snobbery which wouldn't have been out of place in the large home the Smythes owned.

Sebastian swiftly stepped away the other boy. "Mom, this is my friend Kurt Hummel. Kurt, this is my Mother."

"Is your father Congressman Burt Hummel, by any chance?"

"Yes, he is. Nice to meet you, Mrs. Smythe." Kurt said answered politely, trying not to die of embarrassment.

"Call me Linda." She smiled warmly. "You must be the little phantom helping Sebastian. I knew he wasn't unpacking by himself. "

"Mom, I am completely capable of handling my belongings." The look his mother gave him was all to knowing. Okay, so maybe he liked to throw his crap around. What did it matter if it was on the floor instead of in its 'rightful place.' As long as he could find it…

"Uh, Sebastian," Kurt cut in. "I think I'm going to head out. It was nice to meet you Mrs… Linda."

"Why don't you stay for dinner? It's not often Sebastian brings friends home." She put an arm around her son's shoulder. "You can tell me all the wild things my son gets up to when I'm not around."

"I'm sorry. I really should be getting back to Lima. My stepmom's expecting me to help with dinner."

"Alright," Mrs. Smythe said amicably. "Another time?"

"Definitely." Kurt decided that he would like this woman. She seemed easygoing (though, Sebastian had called her a she-witch once.)

"I'll walk you out." Sebastian lightly grasped Kurt's elbow and led him out of the room.

The walk to the garage was awkward, at best. Whatever energy that had passed between them earlier was quickly smothered by Mrs. Smythe's appearance. Now they were back to being plain old Sebastian and Kurt, only slightly less comfortable.

"About what happened…" Sebastian started.

"Don't worry about it." Kurt opened the door to his car and climbed in. "Let's just chalk it up to the heat of the moment." He didn't wait for an answer as he pulled out of the driveway and onto the street.

* * *

Sebastian wandered back to his room to find his mother putting away his clothes. He pointedly ignored the searching look on her face.

"So, what exactly did I walk in on?" Linda asked, knowing her son would never willingly open up.

"Nothing, Mom."

"Really?"

"Really." Sebastian plopped onto a bean bag chair. It was one of the few pieces of furniture his parents hadn't sold after they made him come back home. They'd auctioned off everything from his California king bed and its mahogany frame to his microwave. "Kurt's not like that. He has morals. And standards."

"And you don't fit them? That's pretty harsh, Seb." She could see the change in her son's attitude since he became friends with Kurt Hummel. He spent less time and money at clubs and more time at school. "Don't be so hard on yourself." Linda didn't want there to be a reason to dislike her son's friend.

"That's not what I meant. Kurt is looking for some Bye Bye Birdie/Guys and Dolls type to come and sweep him off his feet. I'm sure as hell nobody's prince charming." Sebastian gave a self-deprecating smirk before adding, "I'm not even on his radar."

Thanks to seventeen years of practice, Linda could easily read the expression of yearning on her son's face. "Do you want to be?"

Sebastian sighed. "Maybe."


	2. Sexy

**Episode: Sexy**

Dinner at the Smythe's was, as usual, an event. Linda cooked a way too much food for the guests in attendance. Steven, Sebastian's dad, barely spoke two words together throughout the entire meal. However, he made up for it by laughing at every joke. Travis and Thomas, Sebastian's older twin brothers, stopped by from their respective ends of the country. Travis had decided to take the spring semester off from Stanford to work in his parent's law firm until fall. Oddly, he never seemed to be home whenever Kurt stopped by. Tom and his fiancée, Dominique, were on spring break from Columbia University. They were both nice and sickeningly in love. Bobby, perhaps the sweetest ten year old in the entire world, entertained the family with tales of the day's adventure. Sebastian had been fondly embarrassed about the whole affair while Kurt thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it.

It was only Kurt's fourth time dining with the Smythe's. However, it was his first time meeting the elusive Travis Smythe and his twin. He probably should've tried harder to make a great first impression, but he'd been distracted for most of the meal. Whenever a question was posed to him, he could only respond with vague, monosyllabic replies.

When Sebastian, who could be a perfect gentleman when he forgot to be an asshole, offered to escort him to his car, Kurt saw his window of opportunity. The presence of Sebastian's family had dissuaded Kurt from mentioning the incident with his father, but he couldn't hold back as they stepped out of the house.

"Your dad gave you pamphlets? That's…"

"Embarrassing?"

"Adorable." Sebastian amended. "It's commendable, what your father is trying to do. And yeah, maybe it's a little embarrassing. But you've got to get the information from somewhere. Too bad there isn't a gayer version of Dora to help baby gays through the toils of adolescent homosexuality."

"I'm sure Nickelodeon would love to hear that pitch." They both leaned against Kurt's Navigator, facing each other. At the moment, Kurt's ensemble of dove gray slacks, a matching vest, and a white dress shirt were covered by his favorite navy jacket. He always dressed to impress when visiting the Smythe residence. But he'd given into impulse by adding a raspberry scarf looped artfully around his neck. The same scarf Sebastian was twining through his fingers. It only made Kurt hyper aware of the conversation he was trying not to stumble through. "And it was awkwardly sweet. But that's not the point. Blaine had no right to talk to my dad like that. Like I'm some naïve, blushing v-virgin."

"To be fair, you are a virgin." Sebastian chuckled, leaning closer towards his friend. "And you do blush a lot."

"You are, as always, so unhelpful."

"Flattery will get you everywhere, doll." Sebastian let the satin scarf drop from his finger and placed his hands on the other teen's shoulders. "Seriously, though, it's not the worst thing in the world. Now you're more informed and your dad is prepared to see you as responsible adult. He just wants you to be safe." A thoughtful look crossed his face. "Maybe, in a round a bout, asshole way, Blaine did you a favor."

"Maybe." Kurt conceded.

"Just…cut him some slack."

"I'll consider it." Kurt stretched up and gave his friend a light peck on the cheek. He ignored the blush on his own cheeks. "Thanks for listening to me."

Sebastian tried no to look too smug. "Anytime."


	3. Original Songs

**Episode: Original Songs**

It was a well-known fact that Kurt Hummel woke with sun, if not well before. That didn't make him a morning person. Not at all. And receiving phone calls at the crack of dawn did nothing to improve his mood.

Sebastian's voice was a little rough as he sang out, "Good morning, Sunshine."

Idiot. "I take it your meeting with your exchange group went well. Or is it just your impending trip to the city of love that has you all chipper?"

"All of the above, my dear Kurt. In less than 5 days, yours truly will be on a plane headed to paradise. Feel free to envy me."

Kurt tried and failed not to feel bitter. It's not like he was actually jealous. But, he definitely wasn't looking forward to the departure of Sebastian Smythe. "You weren't this excited when we scoured the malls across Ohio, finding you a suitable wardrobe. Or when we- I mean 'I' packed your luggage while you looked forlornly at your economy class plane ticket."

"My parents promised me a first class ticket. Stupid exchange program, and their 'equality clause'" Sebastian grumbled, not sounding too put out. "Enough about me and my troubles. What's on the Kurt Hummel daily agenda? Besides applying a second coat of green tea face moisturizer."

Bastard. He would know exactly which part of Kurt's daily skin care routine he'd interrupted. "Nothing major. I have a Warbler's meeting before first period."

"Are you still thinking about quitting?"

"With regionals coming up, I'm just not sure this is the right place for me. Dalton and the Warblers have been really great to me, but New Directions is my family. "

"Chooses the team most likely to win. It's what I'd do."

"Please. Even _you_ are not that shallow."

"Well, my parents would say that you should do what makes you happiest. Forget the rest of the bullshit."

"Wow that's really-"

"And if that doesn't work, get wasted and have a little fun. And by 'fun' I mean sex."

Kurt didn't have the energy for any kind of reaction. He'd sort of expected that response. "For a moment there I almost forgot that you are completely sub human." Kurt sighed. "But I guess you're right about the first part. And I'm pretty sure I know what would make me happier."

"Of course I'm right. I'm always right."

"I'm really going to miss your witticisms when you leave…When do you leave again? Tomorrow? Tonight?"

"Har. Har. I'm not going to stay in Paris forever."

"We could only hope." Kurt dabbed some moisturizer beneath his left eye before continuing. "Anyway, I'll call you back. I have to get ready for school. I think I'll do some vocal runs with Pavarotti."

"Because you're a Disney princess."

"No, I just own the smartest parakeet in the world. Isn't that right, Pavarotti?" Kurt let out a whistle that usually had the little bird standing at attention. This time, unfortunately, the bird didn't even twitch from his spot at the bottom of the cage. Kurt stood up to get a closer look at the parakeet. "Pavarotti?"

"Kurt, what is it?" Sebastian's voice was firm without being cruel. Kurt wasn't prone to hysterics, but…since his mother; he's never been great with the idea of death. And now it had claimed one of his only comforts in a foreign place.

The strength in his friend's voice kept him from falling to his knees. But Kurt couldn't stop the few tears the slid down his face. "Bas, he's…not breathing."

* * *

Looking around at the faces of his fellow Warblers, Kurt could see the embodiment of everything Dalton meant to him: Security, Friendship, and Loyalty. This group of people had shown him that unconditionally. This recognition only made his decision harder…

"I appreciate everything that you all have done for me. My transition to this school was made easier by the support from everyone in this room." He chanced a quick glance at Blaine, the person he was closest to at Dalton. Despite his misguided crush and its demise, Blaine still mattered to him. He took a deep breath before continuing. "Unfortunately, I don't think I can continue my stay at this school as a member of the Warblers. My hearts just not in it and it's not fair to you if I compete in regionals. I still plan to attend and support you guys…but I…I just can't…"

As the executive senior consul member of the Dalton Academy Warblers, Wes was devastated to be losing their first countertenor is 20 years. But he could see the determination in Kurt's face. So he put an arm around his newest friend. "It'll be okay Kurt. I think we all understand what you're going through. And even though you may not be a Warbler, you'll still be our friend."

A chorus of 'yeah' rang out in the room. And Kurt, clad in his macabre chic outfit, was embraced by his friends.

* * *

The school days had become bittersweet for Kurt. He was no longer a Warbler. Sure Wes, David, Thad, Jeff and everyone acknowledged him in the hallways and sat with him in class and at lunch, but it wasn't the same. Kurt had become used to belonging to a group; it was like having a family. It doesn't matter if you snap at each other or you got along better with other members, you would still be a part of something at the end of the day.

With regionals only two days away, Kurt found himself sitting in an empty classroom decorating a tiny coffin. He was going to bury Pavarotti in style.

The sound of approaching feet halted his intention of gluing on yet another sequin. He looked up to find Blaine nearing his table. Out of all of the Warblers, Blaine had become the most aloof after Kurt's departure. A fact that had saddened him immensely. Although he no longer carried a torch for Blaine that could rival a thousand suns, he did still value his friendship. And after Blaine's 'straight' crisis with Rachel, they'd promised to be there for each other.

"Hey, stranger." Kurt tried to keep his voice cool and nonchalant. After nearly seventeen years of practice, it was a skill he'd mastered. "Haven't seen you around much."

"I know." And really, how could Kurt stay mad at him when he sounded so damn sincere. "I've had a lot on my mind. I chose my solo for regionals."

"That's great, Blaine."

"I chose it for you."

Motherfu-. The hot glue that was meant to go on the shoe box was now adorning Kurt's left index finger. "What? Why?"

"I've been thinking about what you're quitting the Warblers may lead to. I realized that eventually you'll return to McKinley. The thought of that happening was gut wrenching and I realized that-" Blaine covered Kurt's trembling hands with his own. "You move me, Kurt."

A few months ago, he would've killed to be in this position. This had been what he was waiting for. For Blaine to wake up and finally understand how much he meant to Kurt. But now? He'd met Sebastian. He'd met someone that made him feel good about himself while challenging him at every turn. It was fun and dangerous and more than a little heady. Kurt could imagine how Sebastian would react to the news of him kissing Blaine. He would try to shrug it off, pretend he didn't really care. And it would tear this…_connection_ they had to shreds. He wasn't about to risk that for any kind of gratification.

"Don't." He could see the confusion in the other boy's eyes, so he held up his hand, halting any further movement. "I'm sorry, I just can't."

"Kurt? Is it the timing? I know you're going through a lot, but I couldn't contain this. I can't hold in these feelings for you."

"No it's not the timing."

"Is it Smythe?"

Kurt let out a humorless chuckle. "Maybe. But mostly it's about me. I have this terrible track record when it comes to guys. And you were another name on the list of uninterested guys I thought could be Mr. Right. With you, I thought I had a chance. We're so alike, and you're actually gay. But at every turn you've made a choice, and it hasn't been me." He could see his friend start to pull away. This isn't what he wanted. Why did Blaine have to suddenly decide to fall in love with him? "I'm not going to tell you how to feel. And whatever the reason, I can't return those feelings."

Blaine's entire being slumped. "This is not how I expected this to go."

"I know. Nothing sucks more than mopping up the feelings you'd poured out to someone. But it will get better. And I know this is a little cliché, but I still want us to be friends."

"Why? I've hurt you. Apparently I've hurt you the same way this killing me."

"Despite everything, you're a pretty good friend. Horrible crush, but good friend." Kurt considered the small smile that spread across Blaine's face as a win.

* * *

'Were there no water fountains in this building?' Kurt thought as he was told, for the third time, that the drinking fountain was located near the restrooms to the left of the entrance. As a sign of good faith and possibly insanity, Kurt would near the restrooms for the third time.

Or, at least, he would've if not for Rachel Berry and her inability to move through the world as a graceful person. This, unfortunately for Kurt, resulted in warm liquid being spilt down his favorite white jacket.

"Ohmigod! I'm so sorry."

"Rachel, calm down. It's not a big deal." He surveyed the damage. Hmm, clear liquid, most likely warm water with lemon. Unlikely to leave a stain and not overly noticeable.

"Kurt?" Rachel touched his chest, unable to believe what she was seeing. "What are you doing here? And what are you wearing? Shouldn't you be with the other Warblers?"

"No, I am no long a member of the Warblers. And to answer your other questions: I'm wearing one of my favorite designer jackets that you nearly destroyed. And I'm here to support my friends."

"Finn said you quit the Warblers, but I couldn't believe it. You love performing too much." She grabbed his arm in an attempt to drag him off to some unknown location. "This is great! You have to come back stage with me. Everyone will be so excited to see you!"

"I can't. I'm actually waiting for-"

"Kurt?" An amused voice asked to his from behind him.

"…Someone." Of course Sebastian would catch him at a ridiculous moment. That didn't stop the smile the came to his lips at the sight of his friend. "Hey. Rachel this is Sebastian. Sebastian this is Rachel."

The other boy stepped closer to his friend. Rachel? Which one was Rachel? Recognition flashed through his brain. "Oh, hey. I think I was supposed to crash your party a while back."

Rachel's face flushed at the memory. "Please don't mention that godforsaken night in my presence ever again."

"Sure, no problem." It was more than a little amusement in his voice now. Kurt could hear the laugh just beneath the surface threatening to escape.

Grabbing Sebastian's hand, Kurt wanted to stop the conversation before an incident could erupt. "We're going to go find some seats. I'll see you after the competition."

* * *

"Rachel, are you okay?" Tina asked when their lead singer returned looking dazed. "Was there something wrong with the water?"

"I just saw Kurt." It didn't ease the Asian girl's mind that her friend's voice had a faraway quality.

"What's wrong with Kurt? Is he back with the Warblers?"

At the mention of Kurt, several of the other New Directions members discreetly began to listen in. Of course the less subtle gleeks, namely Mercedes and Santana, simply crossed the room.

"No, nothing like that." Rachel assured in that same dreamy tone. "I think he has a boyfriend."

Rachel was shaken from her reverie by several cries of "What!"

* * *

"Thanks for coming here with me." Kurt smiled up at his friend. Kurt considered himself an independent being, completely capable of surviving without the help of others. That being said, it was still nice to have someone to lean on. Especially when Blaine began belting _"_Somewhere Only We Know_"_ with the other Warblers crooning in the back.

Sebastian had walked the other boy to his car, where he had to lean against it to look up at the taller boy. "Yeah, of course." If anyone else had asked him to attend the asinine ritual that was Regionals, Sebastian would have respectfully declined. But when Kurt called, he'd dropped the last few items he needed to pack and drove straight over. He even brought his mother's Toyota Camry in his haste instead of his own beloved car.

"Do you absolutely _have_ to go to Paris?"

"Oui."

"Puorquoi?"

"Parce que…" Sebastian laughed. "I don't know. Because I already bought the ticket. Or because my parents think it'll be good for me. And it's my last chance at an 'alternative education' before they stuff me back in some soul crushing private school." He bent down closer to Kurt. "Why? You worried you'll miss me too much?"

"Idiot." Kurt scoffed, placing a hand on the other boy's chest. "The only thing I'm worried about is finding a new source of entertainment. And I'll be losing my personal tour guide through gay Ohio. You could leave now for all I care."

"Really? Right now?" Sebastian shook his head mockingly and looked glumly at the asphalt of the parking lot. "That's too bad. You see, I really wanted to take my good friend Kurt out. As a sort of sendoff."

Kurt gripped the lapel of Sebastian's jacket playfully, bringing the other boy closer. "Really? Where?"

"I know a place."

"Of course you do." Kurt murmured. He smoothed out the taller boy's blazer as an excuse to let his hand rest on his shoulders.

On the other side of the parking lot, a gaggle of gleeks openly observed the two boys.

"Oh, wow. He is cute." Tina observed.

"He's not cute." Santana corrected. "That boy is pretty damn hot. Way to go, Hummel."

They watched as the guy that had previously been crowding their friend against a black navigator helped Kurt into his car. He then walked over to a bright red Toyota. Before getting into his own car, he sent the gleeks a smirk and drove off.

* * *

Kurt patted his stomach with a satisfied smile on his face. "That was probably the best meal I've ever had. I just wish we didn't have to drive all the way to Cincinnati to enjoy it." And if it weren't for his ridiculously tight skinny jean, he would've eaten all of the pear-gorgonzola pizza he ordered.

"I offered to car pool, but you said no." Sebastian had his own smile on his face. The restaurant had been a good call. Jacques, as promised, reserved the best seat in the house for them. And watching the delight filterer over Kurt's face as he sampled his food had been a reward in itself. "I think making you drive back is adequate payback for making me attend that sham of a singing competition."

"I can't believe you didn't like New Directions' songs. Isn't that what you do at CAFA? Write your own music?"

"Yeah, but my songs are actually _good_."

"Which ones? Not your ode to spray cheese?"

"What? I'm lucky enough to have been graced with a gift. It's called talent. Just be glad I no longer attend Dalton. Otherwise, the Warblers would've killed. I'm sure Wes is a great leader, but he is seriously suffocating all the talent in that group. They have a lot of potential."

"Hmm." Kurt agreed contentedly. No group was perfect. Mr. Schue suffered a similar defect as a leader. But it was different with the Warblers. There was no room for expression, especially for a new member. The fact that he'd never really get the chance to shine had been a major factor in his decision to leave the Warblers. Someone like Sebastian _would_ be good for the Warblers. They needed someone to loosen them up and give them a competitive edge. So focused were his thoughts, he didn't notice Sebastian lightly grasping his hand.

"Kurt. I know we've only know each other for a couple of months, but you know me better than any- God I cannot believe I just said that." There was strain in Sebastian's voice that brought Kurt to attention. What was he talking about?

"I'm not sappy. And I'm not good at this whole..." The grasp he had on Kurt was firm without any real roughness. It was enough to bring the other boy chest to chest with himself. "Fuck it." He lowered his mouth so that their lips were just touching, giving Kurt the opportunity to pull away. When he didn't, Sebastian took that as an invitation to press forward.

It was different. Everything was different Kurt. It was the desperate mashing he was used to with other guys. He was gentle, never taking more than was offered because this was Kurt's first real kiss. But the emotion behind it was raw. Like he was trying to pour all the words he couldn't say into one kiss.

_I'm crazy to want you. You're not my type. And I'm not yours. I don't hold hands. I didn't bring many people around my apartment and I definitely don't bring people to my house and introduce them to my family. I don't _date_. Especially not high-maintenance virgins that break their hearts over undeserving guys. I'm usually the undeserving guy. But I don't want to be that for you. I want-_

"Wait." And just like that, as abruptly as the kiss began, it ended. Kurt's head was fuzzy, but he could feel the other boy pulling away from him. "Sebastian, wait."

"What's that point?"

"I'm just asking you to wait. Okay?" Kurt grabbed his forearm before Sebastian could retreat further. "You're about to go to Paris. And not on a week-long trip, but for months. What if you meet some cute French guy? Or you get stuck with some hot guy as a roommate and you totally forgot about me? I couldn't stand it."

"So what does that mean?"

"It means that…I don't know what this is. We're not dating but you're so unlike any friend I've ever had. I don't want to start something only to have to end it. I don't want to define whatever this is and then lose it."

"Do you mind if I interject?" Sebastian felt he should probably be insulted by Kurt's total lack of faith. But, barring all _Star_ _Wars _references, he could understand where his friend was coming from. "I think you're overanalyzing this. But you're probably justified in your reasoning. I haven't exactly proven to be decent boyfriend material. Hell, the way we met…" Kurt blushed at the memory of Sebastian attempting to put his hands in places they _definitely_ didn't belong. "For the sake of any future relationship avenues we may pursue, let's hold off on defining our current one."

"Sounds good." And it really did. This way no one really got hurt. They could just enjoy the time they had left and worry about everything else later.

"But, as a compromise, I get to kiss you again."

Kurt laughed, letting himself be drawn in by the other boy. "Deal."


End file.
